SoCal non-profit offers quick, affordable housing solution amid long-term homeless crisis

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One organization is tackling Southern California's homelessness crisis by providing more than just a place to stay -- they're creating long-term solutions by working with government agencies to keep people off the streets.

Las Palmas Apartments in Wilmington is a supportive housing multi-family complex developed by Brilliant Corners, a non-profit that builds more than just housing.

The organization partners with government, health care, service providers, landlords and developers to create solutions that promote long-term housing.

"Most of the folks we're serving, even if they do have employment, are not going to be able to afford California rents," William Pickel said, CEO of Brilliant Corners. "They're gonna need rent subsidies and they often need either intensive case management services and tenancy support or at least light touch services."

The Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool is a program that keeps people off of year-long waiting lists for affordable housing, and offers a quicker solution.

The program is a partnership led by the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services and Brilliant Corners to help people like Martha Torres find available housing in the private market that can be converted to supportive housing.

"It means security and it means a load off my family knowing that we are safe and we don't have to be going couch surfing or asking for favors, you know. It means stability," Torres said.

L.A. County's 4,000 square miles should provide enough space to build housing quickly, but many readily vacant units can help people in need now.

"There are a number of units out there that are sitting vacant that should be rented and people want them rented. So, this is an easy way to say, 'we can do both,'" said Leepi Shimkhada, Deputy Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

Housing acquisition teams with Brilliant Corners secure existing but vacant units through relationships they have with landlords across California that can meet the specific needs of the individual, like offering rent subsidies.

"You pay whatever part of your rent, whatever part of your income that goes to rent, you abide by the rules, by the terms of your lease," Shimkhada said. "And you live just like the rest of us. We all need a place to live."

"We're not navigating with someone who's in crisis, living in a tent or in a shelter and can't wait to find that magical needle in a haystack. We've got the inventory of units they can select amongst a few units and pick the one that will work best for them," Pickel said.

This first-of-its-kind program has placed over 13,000 families into affordable housing within 10 years.

Brilliant Corners continues to help brilliant minds like Torres, who now lives near her parents to help with child care, return to college.

"When you don't have a place to call home, it's like you're all over the place. And I would have been a statistic for sure," Torres said. "Today, I'm not. Today, I'm breaking barriers."